Vehicle light emitting display device and vehicle display system

• US 9,892,643 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Kunimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/260,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340436
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/331 Electroluminescent elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/285 for improving awareness by directing driver's gaze direction or eye points
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; devices, apparatus or methods for life-saving in general A62B; safety devices for propulsion unit control specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles B60K28/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/062 Adjustment of illumination source parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 : using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/03 : specially adapted for displays having non-planar surfaces, e.g. curved displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 : with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

A vehicle light emitting display device is provided with at least one light source which can be controlled to turn on and off and a light reflecting member disposed in front of a driver of a vehicle. The vehicle light emitting display device forms a virtual image which can be observed by the driver, by emitting light of the light source from lower side of an instrument panel of the vehicle toward the light reflecting member. The vehicle light emitting display device is further provided with a forward and rearward movable mechanism that freely moves a position, at which light is emitted from the light source toward the light reflecting member, in a forward and rearward direction which is a travel direction of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle light emitting display device comprising:

at least one light source which can be controlled to turn on and off; and

a light reflecting member disposed in front of a driver of a vehicle,

wherein the vehicle light emitting display device forms a virtual image which can be observed by the driver, by emitting light of the light source from a lower side of an instrument panel of the vehicle toward the light reflecting member, and

wherein the vehicle light emitting display device further comprises;

a forward and rearward movable mechanism that freely moves a position, at which light is emitted from the light source toward the light reflecting member, in a forward and rearward direction corresponding to a travel direction of the vehicle, wherein the forward and rearward movable mechanism includes a support member configured to deform between a first position in the forward and rearward direction and a second position in the forward and rearward direction,

wherein the support member is formed by connecting together two types of materials which are alternately disposed along a longitudinal direction of the support member, and

wherein at least one of the two types of materials has flexibility.

2. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a belt-shaped support member and is connected to a light emitting unit including the light source, the belt-shaped support member being freely movable so as to block an opening portion formed in the instrument panel.

3. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein another of the two types of materials is rigid.

4. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle light emitting display device further comprises:

guide members that respectively include guide grooves which support both end portions of the belt-shaped support member in a longitudinal direction of the belt-shaped support member and guide the belt-shaped support member along a predetermined movement path.

5. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle light emitting display device further comprises:

an attention-calling display control unit which controls the light source to turn on or blink in a case where a target for which attention is to be called is detected in a vicinity of a position of the displayed virtual image.

6. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 5, wherein the attention-calling display control unit drives the forward and rearward movable mechanism so as to control movement of the position of the displayed virtual image in a direction toward a position of the target, in order to form and display the virtual image.

7. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein the light emitting unit further includes a reflective optical member that reflects light emitted from the light source and guides the light toward the light reflecting member.

8. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 7, wherein the light emitting unit includes at least one annular optical member that is formed into an annular shape larger than an outer diameter of the light source and guides light emitted from the light source toward the reflective optical member by transmitting, reflecting, or diffusing.

9. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 8, wherein the light emitting unit includes a plurality of the annular optical members having different sizes, and

wherein the annular optical members are disposed such that the sizes of the annular optical members increase in sequence from a position of the light source toward a position of the reflective optical member.

10. The vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 2, wherein the light emitting unit includes a turning mechanism that adjusts a direction of light emitted from the light emitting unit toward the light reflecting member according to a direction around an axis of light in a travel direction of light emitted from the light source.

11. A vehicle display system comprising:

the vehicle light emitting display device according to claim 1; and

a head-up display unit,

wherein the vehicle light emitting display device is disposed on a side of the head-up display unit.

12. The vehicle display system according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle display system further comprises:

a coordinated display control unit that controls a display position of the vehicle light emitting display device in coordination with an adjustment of a display position of the head-up display unit.

13. The vehicle display system according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle display system further comprises:

a coordinated display control unit which controls any one of the vehicle light emitting display device and the head-up display unit to selectively display information according to a position of a detected target in a rightward and leftward direction, in a case where a target to be called for attention is detected.